Beer: Reviews & Ratings

Pours a clouded chestnut brown with a very thin layer of tanned head which dissolves completely leaving little to no lacing.

Decent barrel character in the nose with oak and boozy tannins. Pretty nutty and bready with a decent dose of malt. Roasty and warm with a hint of vanilla.

Starts off nutty and roasty with a pretty sharp kick from the barrel. Chocolate and vanilla mix into the malt profile with a decent amount of sweetness. The bourbon builds towards the back end, becoming increasingly astringent on the tongue. Lingering aftertaste of booze and vanilla.

Medium body, decent carbonation, a little chewy and sticky on the tongue. This starts off okay, but the barrel really becomes a bit oppressive on the palate towards the back end of the profile. (791 characters)

Bourbon Barrel Aged General Washington's Tavern Porter. Aged Four Months, Had on tap at Yards. Chalkboard said 10% abv, Since the base brew is 7% I asked if it was fermented longer or if it gained its extra abv from the bourbon. I was told it was from the bourbon. The next day I stopped in and the board was changed to 8% abv. Dark black with lots of carbonation, bubbly tan head. Sweet bourbon aroma, not overpowering in smell or taste but quite present. Taste is dark malt, chocolate, bourbon, vanilla, hops, fruit. Creamy mouth feel, medium body. (551 characters)

Taste: Wood and some bitterness on the back. Some chocolate. Underwhelming. Very thin, disappointing. Vinous tones, but really not enough barrel and bourbon for a beer of this kind. Tastes like a regular brown ale, and went great with the fudge from Philly's own Betty's Speakeasy we had at the brewery.

Pours a dark black, minimal rings of brwon lacing, little retention. Scent brings instant bourbon notes with oak, vanilla and coconut, bold sweet molasses comes through making for some heavy scents. Heavy molasses sweetness prevents the aging to shine through, bourbon comes through more than the barrel. Fuller side of medium bodied, light lingering booze and sweetness. I prefer beers with more subtle taste notes in a bourbon barrel, but it works. (450 characters)

This was on tap at the Allentown Brew Works Bourbon Fest. Poured out as a very nice looking deep brownish black color with a tan creamy head on top. Had some light sticky lacing. The smell of the beer wasn't overly potent but had a light roasted aroma. The taste of the beer was pretty good, had a nice rich smooth roasted flavor with just a touch of bourbon in the mix. The mouthfeel of the beer was creamy and soft. Overall I found it to be enjoyable, would like to have it again someday. (490 characters)

A - Pours jet black with a decent one finger tall cream colored head, slowly dissipating down to a light film, leaving sticky webs of lace down the sides of the glass.

S - Smells of warm bourbon, dark roasted malt, vanilla, chocolate, molasses and a bit of dark fruit. A bit slow to develop but decent enough once it does.

T - Starts off with the vanilla and chocolate sweetness quickly being joined by the molasses, dark fruits, dark roasted malt and mild bourbon burn. Finish is a little sweet with some light dryness from the booze, lingering long after the finish.

M - Medium-Heavy body with moderate carbonation. Smooth, dark feel with a bit of booze burn at the end of each sip.

O - I would say this is more of mild bourbon porter. The bourbon profile is quite restrained and the base flavors are still quite noticeable. Haven't seen this one before, glad I tried it while I had the chance. (935 characters)

On tap @ the Yards Brewing Co. (Philadelphia, PA) on 2/5/11. Served in a pint glass. ABV listed as 7%.

This pours a dark brown, with a finger of smooth mocha head. This stays creamy on the edges, with more of a wispy look in the center of the glass, while leaving back some spotty swathes of lacing. Some light bourbon notes and vanilla from the oak just kiss the aroma here up front, before giving way to the base Porter notes of dark malt, chocolate, and tart smelling fruit. This is nice.

The taste is similar, with barrel notes of molasses, vanilla, and char that envelope those primary flavors from the Porter, as cocoa, caramel, dark roast, and earthy and tart fruit all get to shine fairly prominently here. The mouthfeel is a bit fuller bodied, with a initial sharpness that give that bourbon character some prickliness but then ultimately get much more creamy feeling as this works itself down the throat. Well hid alcohol with only some light warmth being present and that seems to be confined just to the bourbon flavors.

I dug this. I'm a fan of the regular Tavern Porter from Yards, so I glad to see that the bourbon and barrel flavors here weren't overdone or overpowering in any way. I think that this would be a good intro for getting someone into this type of beer, as this fairly easy drinking and for what it is. Worth a look if you see it on tap around Philly. (1,386 characters)

I'll have to check back in my notes, but I'm pretty sure the ABV was listed as 10% for this.

Dark cherry-cola color with a thin wispy head. Aroma of brown sugar, molasses, caramel, minor touches of bourbon. The taste follows the aroma, coming understandably about the same as the regular GW Porter, with lots of dark sugars, molasses, cocoa, with enough bourbon to give it flavor but without the alcohol burn. About medium bodied, comes off a little thin if you're used to the more robust American style, but it's about right for an English. (584 characters)

Deep, sweet molasses, dry baking chocolate and round notes of tobacco all vie for attention on the nose.

Full and sweet at the tip of the tongue, sugary-warm bourbon threads strongly in the beer from front to back. This binding character dries only slightly into some echoes of chocolate and ashen smoke near the throat. A touch of alcohol warmth is pleasingly present as the beer washes away. The medium mouthfeel is structured well, and even from the firkin the quicksilver carbonation delivered a much-needed slip.

Heavy still, 6oz is plenty for today. Don't get me wrong, this was a great beer... but we were baking in the sun for much too long before I tried this. (825 characters)

it pours dark with a tan to butter cream looking head.smells like chocolate tobacco vanilla dark malts molasses and bourbon of course.the bourbon taste is definitely there but doesn't overwhelm the dark malts chocolate molasses vanilla and roasty goodness and warms everything up with a hint of alcohol.mouthfeel was good but i was expecting something a little heavier from an about 7% porter aged for months in bourbon barrels i could drink these often but a whole growler at once may not have been the best choice. I will absolutely pick up bottles of this if i see them. (616 characters)